Browsing Tag

Italy

Favorite minute of 2012

December 28, 2012

It’s difficult to take a bad photo of Venice’s Grand Canal, but I certainly tried.

Exhibit A: Grey sky. No dominant point of interest. Big-ass crane in the distance.

 

Exhibit B: More grey sky. More big-ass crane. Plus gondolier butt.

 

And then … the sun slipped out to say hello.

 

Suddenly the whole city was picturesque!

 

Two gondoliers joined the slow flow of traffic. I pretended they were in a fight, stripey shirt vs. stripey shirt.

 

But then they became friends and floated along together.

 

And as my boat slipped underneath a bridge, the city was everything I ever imagined.  Pastel buildings. Sherbet skies. Voluptuous, shimmery streets. A masterpiece of engineering and nerve, inspiring generations of poets and painters.

 

Then, just as quick as it began …

 

The moment disappeared.

 

I had many good minutes in Venice — and many great minutes throughout 2012 — but that one was perfection.